Joining the standard Ariel for 2012 is this new 160mm variant which has been specifically developed to address the needs of European DH Enduro riding; the Ariel 160 uses Saracen's own TRL suspension platform and the same 30mm oversized bearings / 15mm norglide bushes as its smaller brother, but has been built with a slightly burlier rear triangle and slacker head angle to cope with everything thrown it’s way, allowing you to tackle epic alpine descents with ease. Saracen have gone all out with the gold anodising on the The 14x frameset to give it a boutique look and supply it with a Fox RP23 shock, FSA Gravity XX headset and both 135x9mm and 142x12mm rear dropouts, the basis of a dream build.

HistoryThe Ariel was launched to universal acclaim back in 2010 and firmly re-established Saracen as a manufacturer of proper mountain bikes; A trail bike optimised for black run descents and pure fun, it's progressive geometry and excellent suspension performance gained it many followers, however this ability came at the expense of a slightly higher than competitive weight. Fast forward 2 years and Saracen have refined the concept, splitting the range into two travel options (140mm and 160mm) to better address the needs of different riders.

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Custom Butted Aluminium Frame With Tapered Headtube

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Sealed Main Pivot Bearing And Norglide Linkage Bushings

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Gold Anodised Hardware

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ISCG 05 Mounts

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Fox RP23 Shock - 160mm Travel

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FSA Gravity XX Tapered Headset

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135x9mm And 142x12mm Dropouts

FRAME SIZES

S 15"

M 17"

L 19"

ST

Seat Tube Length (mm)

393.7

431.8

482.6

TT

Horizontal Toptube Length (mm)

559

585

610

HT

Headtube Length (mm)

115

115

115

HA

Head Angle

66.5°

66.5°

66.5°

SA

Seat Angle

73°

73°

73°

CS

Chanstay Length (mm)

435

435

435

BB

BB Drop (mm)

5

5

5

WB

Wheelbase Length (mm)

1087

1113

1138

Founded in 1987, Saracen were one of the defining UK mountain bike brands during the 1990's, producing legendary products such as the coveted Kili Flyer (inspired by adventure cyclist Nick Crane's Mt Kilimanjaro ascent) and the tufftrax which was the bike of choice for countless riders taking their first steps into the sport. Sadly the brand gradually became known for bikes built to increasingly low budgets and had all but disappered off the radar of any serious mountain biker by the mid 2000's... That is until Saracen was re-launched under stewardship of Madison in 2010/2011.

The aim was to capture the success and recognition the brand enjoyed 20 years ago, and they've achieved remarkable things in a very short period of time to firmly re-establish Saracen within the market both within the UK and globally by bringing back some old favorites (such as the entry level Tufftrax and fillet brazed Kili Flyer) and introducing a wider range of new bikes. Whether you're looking for a Hardtail, Full Suspension, City, BMX, Jump or Kids bike forget the stereotypes and what you thought you knew, Saracen are back!